Sushi: Is it Healthy?

Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like.

Email This Story

Send email to this addressEnter Your NameAdd a comment hereVerification

Sushi has become very popular over the years. You can get in in Japanese restaurants or at a local supermarket. This is a good thing. Some ingredients in sushi that can be rich in nutrients are fish, wasabi, seaweed, and pickled ginger. Sushi can be very healthy, especially if it is made with vegetables, avocado, and omega-3-rich seafood, like salmon or tuna. Depending on how your sushi is made, it can be unhealthy. Some unhealthy ingredients are tempura butter and condiments like mayonnaise and cream cheese, things that boost unhealthy fat and calories. For example, a shrimp tempura roll with spicy mayonnaise on it can be more than 500 calories and 20 grams of fat. This is double the calories and three times the fat of a California roll made with crab.

Soy sauce rich in sodium can also be a concern, one tablespoon of soy sauce can contain about 900 milligrams of sodium. This is equal to 40% of the recommended daily sodium limit. 10 salted pretzel twists can contain 744 milligrams of sodium. If you are cautious about how much sodium you consume, ask for low-sodium soy sauce or just don’t use any.

Also, be cautious of white sushi rice. White sushi rice is very sticky, but it typically made with sugar, salt, and vinegar. It also contains many carbohydrates. Ask for brown rice instead. It may have sugar to make it sweet but it’s rich in fiber and whole grains. If you are pregnant or have an impaired immune system, you should refrain from eating raw seafood. All in all, just keep your sushi seafood rich and simple.